On Monday morning, Mai arrived at the school gate ten minutes earlier than usual.
It wasn't raining.
The rain from the day before had left little puddles beneath the rows of crape-myrtle trees, reflecting the pale morning sky. Mai stood by the gate, hugging her schoolbag and trying to look as if she'd just happened to be passing by.
She hadn't brought the blue umbrella. Khanh had kept it since the day before, after walking her all the way to the entrance of her alley. But for some reason, every time she saw a patch of gray sky, Mai still felt as if she were waiting for an umbrella to open beside her.
"You're here early."
Lan appeared with her hair tied up high and a carton of milk in her hand. She looked at Mai, then at the school gate, then back at Mai.
"Don't ask," Mai said first.
"I haven't asked anything."
"But you're about to."
Lan giggled.
Just then, a bicycle stopped in front of the gate. Khanh got off, still carrying the familiar bag of bread. When he saw Mai, he paused slightly, then smiled.
"Were you really waiting for me?"
"No."
"Yeah."
"I mean it. I came early because I have classroom duty today."
"Yeah."
"Is 'yeah' the only thing you know how to say?"
"No." Khanh propped up his bike and walked toward her. "I also know how to buy bread."
Mai took the bag, trying not to let her smile show too clearly. Beside her, Lan shook her head, looking as if she was already far too used to the two of them always finding some incredibly flimsy excuse to stay close.
The three of them had just crossed the school courtyard when a voice called out from behind them.
"Khanh!"
He turned around.
A boy was running toward them. He was tall and neat, with short hair and a school uniform shirt always buttoned to the very top. A carefully wrapped brown guitar was slung over his shoulder. He stopped in front of Khanh, breathing lightly, as if the distance he'd just run was nothing more than a short stretch.
"Long time no see."
Khanh looked at him for a few seconds, then smiled.
"Quang? What are you doing here?"
"I transferred classes." Quang pointed toward the row of classrooms beside them. "Starting today, I'm in 12A3."
Lan let out a whistle.
"Khanh's old friend?"
"Yeah. We went to middle school together." Khanh gave Quang a light slap on the shoulder. "You still play?"
"I do. And do you still solve math problems faster than a normal person?"
"More or less."
Quang turned to Mai. His gaze lingered on her just long enough to make her instinctively straighten up.
"And this is..."
"Mai," Khanh said.
He answered so quickly, as if he'd already prepared the response.
"My classmate."
Quang nodded and held out his hand.
"Hi, Mai. I'm Quang."
Mai shook his hand. The slight chill from Quang's fingers startled her.
"Hi."
"Khanh's already told me about you."
Mai turned to look at Khanh.
"What did you tell him?"
Khanh immediately gave a small cough.
"Nothing."
Quang smiled but didn't say anything else. He simply adjusted the guitar on his shoulder and went upstairs with them.
Mai didn't know why, but a strange feeling suddenly appeared in her heart. It wasn't exactly discomfort, and it wasn't jealousy either. She'd just never heard Khanh mention Quang, yet Quang already knew about her.
What had Khanh told him?
And when had he told him?
During the class meeting, the homeroom teacher announced that Quang would temporarily join the class performance group. He had once won a prize in a city-level guitar competition, so the whole class immediately crowded around to ask him questions. Khanh was pulled into the middle of the crowd because he was an old friend, while Mai stayed in her seat, quietly sorting the pieces of cardboard they were using for decorations.
"Quang's really talented," a girl sitting at the desk in front of them said. "And he's handsome, too."
"I heard he once performed on TV."
"Then he'll probably be chosen for the main performance."
The whispers drifted through the classroom like wind. Mai lowered her head, trying to focus on her lettering. But at the back of the room, Quang was smiling and trying out a few chords on his guitar. The clear notes fell into the morning, making everyone fall silent to listen.
Khanh stood beside the window with his arms crossed, watching his old friend. He really did seem happy to see Quang again.
Mai didn't know why she was paying attention to that.
When recess came, Khanh set two cartons of milk on Mai's desk.
"For you."
Mai looked at the milk, then toward Quang, who was surrounded by several girls.
"You're not giving one to your old friend?"
Khanh blinked.
"Quang doesn't like strawberry milk."
"You remember that clearly?"
"We went to school together for four years."
"Yeah."
Khanh heard something off in her voice.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"You're starting to sound like me, too."
Mai opened the carton and jammed the straw in so hard that milk splashed onto her finger.
Khanh handed her a tissue.
"Careful."
"I know."
He watched her for a moment, then pulled out a chair and sat down beside her.
"Mai."
"What?"
"Quang's just an old friend."
Mai looked up.
"I didn't ask."
"But your face is asking."
"What is my face asking?"
"Why I was so happy to see Quang."
Mai immediately turned away.
"You're awfully confident."
"Yeah, I think so, too."
Khanh laughed. Mai was about to say something when Quang walked over to the desk. He placed a black notebook in front of Khanh.
"Are you free this afternoon?"
"What's up?"
"Help me choose a song for the camping trip. I want to play one we used to practice together."